Low-load blood flow restriction training significantly enhanced levels of muscle excitation compared to low-load training without restriction, with a pooled standardized mean difference of 0.87.
Meta-Analysis (n=232)
Does low-load blood flow restricted exercise training improve neural adaptations compared to training without blood flow restriction in healthy subjects?
Low-load blood flow restriction training enhances muscle excitation compared to low-load training alone, but is similar or slightly inferior to high-load training.
Standardized Mean Difference: 0.87 (95% CI 0.38–1.36)
p-value: p=<0.01
Objective To summarize the existing evidence on the long-term effects of low-load (LL) blood flow restricted (BFR) exercise on neural markers including both central and peripheral adaptations. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. The literature search was performed independently by two reviewers in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and CENTRAL. The systematic review included long-term trials investigating the effects of LL-BFR training in healthy subjects and compared theses effects to either LL or high-load (HL) training without blood flow restriction. Results From a total of N = 4499 studies, N = 10 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and N = 4 studies in a meta-analysis. The findings indicated that LL-BFR resulted in enhanced levels of muscle excitation compared to LL training with pooled effect sizes of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.38-1.36). Compared to HL training, LL-BFR was muscle excitation was reported as either similar or slightly lower. Differences between central activation between LL-BFR and LL or HL are less clear. Conclusion The summarized effects in this systematic review and meta-analysis highlight that BFR training facilitates neural adaptations following LL training, although differences to conventional HL training are less evident. Future research is urgently needed to identify neural alterations following long-term blood flow restricted exercise.
Centner et al. (Tue,) conducted a meta-analysis in Healthy subjects (neural adaptations) (n=232). Low-load blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) training vs. Low-load (LL) or high-load (HL) training without BFR was evaluated on Muscle excitation (EMG amplitude) compared to LL training (SMD 0.87, 95% CI 0.38-1.36, p=<0.01). Low-load blood flow restriction training significantly enhanced levels of muscle excitation compared to low-load training without restriction, with a pooled standardized mean difference of 0.87.